Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-10-13
Bill Nye as a Hotel Guest.
New York World.

much OF their time pointing with pride TO
her remarkable progress but we are prone
to dwell too much upon our advantages as
a summer resort and our adroit methods
of declining the presidency before we ase
asked, while we forge; some of our more
important improvements,l like the elevated
railway and the American hotel.
Let us, for moment, look at the great
changes that have been wrought in hotels
during the past century. How marked
has been the i'm provoments and how won
derful the advancement. Everything has
been changed. Even the towels have
been changed.
Electric bells, consisting of a long and
alert wire With al overcoat button at one
end and reticent boy st the other, have
taken the place OF the human voice and
low proved red elm club. Where once
we were compelled TO fall down mar
row staircase, now we can so down the
elevator or wander down the wrong
stairway and find ourselves in the
laundry.
Where once we were mortified by be-
ing compelled SO rise at the table, reach .
feet and stab porous pancake with our
fork, meantime wiping the milk gravy
ont of large yellow bowl with our coat
tail, now we can hire tall, 1.-THE gentle
man in full dress suit to pass us the pan.
cake.
Even the bar-rooms of American hotels
are changed. Once the bartender waited
til his customer ran all his remarks into
one long, hoarse word, with a hiccongh
on the end, and then he took him by the
collar and threw him ont into the cold
h.
ually rises or the price of drinks till his
customerais frozen out, and while he is
gone to the reading room 10 borrow some
more money the chemist moves the bar
somewhere else, and when the guest re.
turns he finds a barber shop where he
thought he left q bar-room.
One hundred years, on their swift pin
ions, have borne away the big dinner-bel
and the sway backed trunk that surprised
a man SO when he sat down upon it TO
consider what clothes he would put on
first.
1t is very rare now that we see a I'm ted
States Senator sneaking Il two-year
Mambrino halr trunk up three flights of
stairs to his room in order 10 secure the
labor vote. Ien, as well as hotels and
hotel soap, have changed. Where once q
cake eff soap would only last few weeks,
science has come in and perfected style
of pink soak, favored with vanilla, that
will lasJ for years, and a new slippery elm
towel that is absolutely imperyious to
moisture. Hand in hand, this soap and
towel go gayly down the corridors of
| time, welcoming the coming and speed
ing the parting guest, jumping deity out
of tho hands OF the aristOcraoy into the
hands of receiver, but always calm,
smooth and latherless.
Nature did not fit me TO be the success
| full guest at hotel. can see why it IL
SO. ! do not know how TO Impress q
hotel. l think all the way up from the
depot, as 1 change hands with my hot
handled and heavy bag, how will stride
up to the counter and ask for the room
that is generally given TO Mr.. Blaine, but
when got there fall up against a cold
wave, step back into large india.rubbei
cuspa6ore, and my oyertaxed valise bursts
open. While the porter and | gather NJ
my collars and gently press them in with
our feet, the clerk decides that he hasn't
| got such a room as | would want.
then 90 TO another hotel and succeed
! in getting room which commands view
of large red tire-escape, long sweep
of undulating eves trough aud lightning
rod--usually No. 758 near the laundry
chimney and adjoining the baggage
! elevator.
After have remained at The hotel sew
eral days and paid my DILL whenever
have been asked to do so, and shown
that did not eat much and that ! wat
willing to carry up my own coal, the pro
priet0r relents, and puts me IN room
that is below timber line, and though il
ia a better room / feel all the time nj
though had driven ont the night watch
man, for the bed is still warm, and know
ing that he must be sleeping out in the
cold hall all night as he patiently watches
the hotel | can not sleep until 3 or
O'Clock, and then have TO get up while
the chambermaid makes my bed for the
day.
/ try hard when enter hotel TO a.
sumo an air of arrogance and defiance
but am all tho time afraid that there II
some one present who is acquainted with
me.
Another thing that works against me is
my apparel. Ia a strange hotel man
will do better, il he has $50 only aud de-
sires to remain two weeks, to 70 and buy
a $50 suit Of clothes with his money, TAX
ing his chances with the clerk, than "a
dress like a plain American citizen, and
expect 10 be loved, on the grounds that
he will way his board.
But there Is now prospect for reform
in this line scheme by which man z
name and record as guest Will be his
credentials When this plan becomes
thoroughly understood and adopted, q
modest man with money who prefers to
wear soft hat, will not have to sleep IN
the Unior Depot, solely on the ground
that the night clerk is opposed to a soft
hat.
This scheme, TO be brief consists OF
a system of regular reports from tables
and rooms, which reports are epltomized
at the Office and interchangeable with
other hotels, on the principle Of the X 9
Dunn Commercial Agency. The guest Il
required to sign his order at the table OF
give the number Of his room, whether the
hotel is run on the European plan or not
and these orders in the aggregate, con-
ing from head walters, portera, cham
bermaids and bell boys, make up 9
mans standing on a scale from to n
For instance, we will gay s. per day